Staff Sgt. Jesse Lee Williams died in a helicopter crash on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2013. (Photo Provided)Jesse Williams, right, is introduced to his daughter, center, for the first time in this Elkhart Truth file photo published on May 14, 2008. (Truth file photo by Tom Lange)

Elkhart soldier killed in Afghanistan on third deployment

Elkhart Central grad remembered as "the best father" and "a friend forever"

ELKHART — “Just a scrawny kid” when he joined the military almost eight years ago, U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Jesse Lee Williams, who died Tuesday, Dec. 17, in the Middle East, is being remembered by friends and his family as a loving father and a strong soldier.

Williams, who was born in Elkhart, was on a Black Hawk transport helicopter with five other soldiers that crashed in Afghanistan, according to his family.

The Associated Press confirmed with two U.S. defense officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, that one person on board the Black Hawk UH-60 was injured and survived. The total number of people that were on the helicopter is unclear.

A statement issued by the NATO international military coalition said the crash is under investigation and that there was no insurgent activity in the area at the time of the crash.

“He was one brave young man,” said Williams' mother, Debbie Bussard Passerallo.

Passerallo said her son was on his third deployment and had joined the military to work on computers. He left on Father's Day in June to go to Germany. From there, he was deployed to Afghanistan.

“He was big and strong,” Passerallo said. “He didn't let things get him down. When he was a friend, he was a friend forever.”

Williams attended Elkhart Central High School and graduated third in his class from a U.S. Army information technology program, according to his mother.

Serving in the military became his passion. He was promoted to staff sergeant about two weeks ago.